It's showtime for Leicester's boxing hero Rendall Munroe

Rendall Munroe's promoter has told Leicester fight fans they are crucial to the boxing binman's hopes of conquering the world.

Frank Maloney expects to hear today that Munroe's European super-bantamweight title defence against Simone Maludrottu tomorrow will be made an eliminator for the WBC title.

Toshiaki Nishioka, from Japan, currently holds the belt and Maloney is desperate to bring Munroe's world-title challenge to the Midlands. To do that, he needs to raise enough funds to tempt Nishioka away from Japan and that means supporters and sponsors getting behind Munroe.

Maloney, who said there are still a few tickets remaining for tomorrow night's fight, at Nottingham's Harvey Hadden Leisure Centre, added: "We need to know we can sell 5,000 tickets if we want to bring a world title fight to Britain.

"Rendall really doesn't want to travel to Japan for a fight with Nishioka. We need the supporters to get behind Rendall to bring a world title fight to Britain."

Munroe says he is "110 per cent" confident that he will take a step closer to becoming Leicester's second world champion after Chris Pyatt, who won the WBO middleweight title in May 1993.

Maludrottu is a proven boxer at the highest level, having made eight defences of the European bantamweight title and challenged for world honours.

He has never been stopped, but Munroe said: "I run between 10 and 15 miles every day and am prepared for a distance fight. This fight will come down to whoever wants it the most and that's going to be me. I know everything is on the line for me in this fight and I'm 110 per cent confident I will win."

The 29-year-old southpaw from Northfields has not boxed since the points win over Isaac Nettey in May that brought him the vacant Commonwealth 8st 10 lbs title. But he said: "I feel refreshed. I believe I have the stamina and work-rate to win this fight."

Munroe is usually bigger and stronger than his opponents as well and, while Maludrottu has stepped up from the 8st 6lbs bantamweight division, he said: "I feel strong and I'm ready to be the next champion."

For ticket availability, ring 0787 1946 671, 07525 469421 or 0116 222 3680.